Emergency medical service (EMS) personnel are required to handle the combined weight of a patient and the ambulance cot during various stages of maneuvering of the ambulance cot while separated from the ambulance. This cot manipulation often requires that the patient supported on the litter be lifted to various elevated heights above the floor. In some instances, the weight factor can cause EMS personnel injury that requires medical treatment.
Accordingly, it is advantageous to provide vertically adjustable hand grips on the ambulance cot to orient the hand grips at the appropriate elevation to enable the attendant to more comfortably lift the cot with less stress on the back muscles.